According to conventional angiographic x-ray imaging, contrast media are used to enhance the contrast of blood-carrying structures within patient anatomy. For example, a contrast medium is introduced into a patient volume (e.g., via intravenous injection) and an x-ray image of the volume is acquired while the medium is located within the volume. In the x-ray image, structures which contain the medium (e.g., veins and arteries) appear darker than they would otherwise appear.
Currently, if a physician desires to acquire three-dimensional x-ray data of both arteries and veins, two separate three-dimensional acquisitions are required, with each of the two three-dimensional acquisitions comprising a mask volume and a fill volume. Each mask volume and fill volume, in turn, requires acquisition of a series of two-dimensional x-ray images. Each of the two fill volume acquisitions exposes the patient to a separate contrast medium injection, and each acquired two-dimensional x-ray image exposes the patient to a dose of x-ray radiation. Moreover, the four acquired volumes are independent of one another and require significant processing to be displayed coherently.
Systems are desired which provide efficient acquisition and presentation of three-dimensional images of blood-carrying components.